Arrangement of front and/or rear lights of motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for the front and/or rear lights of motor vehicles in which longitudinal bearers are provided within the area of the lateral edges of the roof which accommodate in the front and rear end faces thereof the front and/or rear lights of the vehicle.

Unite 4' States atent 11 1 Barnyi et al.

14 1 Apr. 17, 1973 ARRANGEMENT OF FRONT AND/OR REAR LIGHTS OF MOTORVEHICLES [75] Inventors: Bla Barnyi, Maichingen; Hermann Renner,Boblingen; Bruno Sacco, Sindelfingen, all of Germany [73] Assignee:Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft,

Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 25, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 852,751

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 28, I968 Germany ..P 17 80299.2

[52] US. Cl ..240/7.l, 296/137 [51] Int. Cl. ..B60q 3/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..240/7. 1 8.2;

296/28, 46, I37; Dl4/3 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,086,524 7/ l 937 Clark ..240/8.2

2,576,354 11/1951 Oswald ..296 137 2,891,140 6/1959 Huff ..240 712,937,047 5/1960 Heller, in ct a.I.... ....296/28 2,986,423 5 1961Barnyi ....296/28 3,008,760 1 1/1961 Barnyi ..296/137 3,015,519 1/1962Barnyi ..296 137 3,093,406 6/1963 Barnyi ..296 46 Rl69,365 4/1953 Fageol..D 14/3 2,523,104 9/1950 Emmert.... "296/137 R 2,955,872 10/1960 Barnyi296/28 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,405,203 3/1969 Germany..296/137 Primary Examiner--L0uis J Capozi Attorney-Craig, Antonelli &Hill [5 7 ABSTRACT An arrangement for the front and/or rear lights ofmotor vehicles in which longitudinal bearers are provided within thearea of the lateral edges of the roof which accommodate in the front andrear end faces thereof the front and/or rear lights of the vehicle.

24 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APR 1 H975 SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTORSBELA BARENYI HERMAN RENNER BRUNO SACCO BY 2 I 4 ,6 a" M M ATTORNEYSPATENTED APR 1 H973 SHEET 2 BF 2 I am INVENTORS BELA BARENYI HERMANRENNER BRUNO SACCO ATTORNEYS ARRANGEMENT OF FRONT AND/OR REAR LIGHTS OFMOTOR VEHICLES The present invention relates to an arrangement of thefront and/or rear lights of motor vehicles, especially of passengermotor vehicles.

The front and rear lights of motor vehicles, especially of passengermotor vehicles are secured customarily approximately at half the vehicleheight on the front and. rear parts of the body. The lights are therebymounted as a rule at the front and rear fenders. This arrangemententails the disadvantage that the lights by reason of their lowarrangement can be readily soiled and covered by the dirt stirred up bythe vehicle so that the lighting effect thereof is strongly impaired.Additionally, it is disadvantageous with such prior constructions thatthe lights are located directly in the ground areas of the vehiclebecause the lights are likely to be destroyed in such areas already incase of minor collisions.

The present invention aims at creating an arrangement of theaforementioned type in which the lights are better protected againstsoiling anddamages and in which the lights at the same time achievestill a better illumination. The present invention essentially consistsin that longitudinal bearers are provided within the area of the lateraledges of the roof which extend over the length of the roof andaccommodate in the end faces the front and/or rear lights. The lightsthus arranged are well circumcirculated by the driving air so that acertain cleaning effect is achieved thereby. Additionally, as a resultthereof, the lights are also arranged outside of the area which isfrequently damaged in the event of small collisions. Furthermore, by theuse of longitudinal bearers, a considerable reinforcement of the roofresults which, on the one hand, contributes to the increase of theinternal safety of the motor vehicle and, on the other, can be utilizedto use the roof directly as loading surface.

In order to enable favorable streamline or flow conditions within thearea of the front lights, the front end faces of the longitudinalbearers disposed within the area of the windshield may have aninclination corresponding to the inclination of the windshield. It isappropriate for keeping clean the rear lights, if the end faces of thelongitudinal bearers disposed within the area of the rear window extendapproximately vertically.

In order not to change the heretofore customary over-all impression andappearance of a motor vehicle, the longitudinal bearers may be arrangedon the inside of a roof surface of a double-shell or double-wall roof.However, in order to achieve that the lights are circumcirculated by theair at least on three sides, it is advantageous if the longitudinalbearers project above the roof surface. This entails additionally theadvantage that the longitudinal bearers can then serve as lateralboundaries of the roof utilizable as loading surface.

In order to render the vehicle readily visible from the side duringnight driving, the longitudinal bearers may be advantageously providedadditionally with further lights at the outer lateral surfaces thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a frontand/or rear light arrangement for motor vehicles which avoids by simplemeans the aforementioned shortcomings and drawbacks encountered by theprior art constructions.

Another object of the present invention resides in an arrangement forthe front and/or rear lights of motor vehicles which greatly reduces thesoiling thereof while at the same time increasing their protectionagainst damages in case of minor collisions.

A further object of the present invention resides in an arrangement forthe front and/or rear lights of motor vehicles which not only increasethe lighting effect but additionally result in increased rigidity of theroof, thereby contributing to the safety of the passengers in thevehicle.

Still another object of the present invention resides in an arrangementfor the front and/or rear lights of motor vehicles which permits the useof the roof surface directly as a loading surface.

These and further objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become more obvious from the following description whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, forpurposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a passenger motor vehicle equippedwith front lights in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective rear view of the passenger motor vehicleaccording to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial end view of a front light in accordancewith the present invention, the other half of the vehicle being ofsymmetrical construction;

FIG. 3a is a schematic partial end view of a rear light in accordancewith the present invention, the other half being again of symmetricalconstruction; and

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are schematic partial end views illustratingvarious possible roof shapes in accordance with the present invention,the other half of the roof being always of symmetrical construction.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the various views to designate like parts, and moreparticularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the motor vehicle illustrated in theseFigures is equipped within the area of the lateral edges of the roof 1with two longitudinal bearers 2 and 3 constructed as hollow bearers,which extend over the entire roof length and which, as shown in FIG. 1,accommodate in the front end faces thereof disposed within the area ofthe windshield 4, the front lights 5 whereas, as shown in FIG. 2, theyaccommodate in the end faces thereof disposed within the area of therear window 7 the rear lights 8. A thus equipped vehicle is able toilluminate better the road disposed in front thereof by means of itsfront lights 5 without causing a greater blinding danger. Additionally,the vehicle can be recognized earlier as a result of the higharrangement of the rear lights 8, especially at hill tops-or the like orin case of break-downs, etc. In such a light arrangement, also theelectrical installation is arranged in an advantageous manner, protectedon the inside of the longitudinal bearers 2 and 3 and no longer exposedin the open engine space so that the danger of a corrosion is reduced.In order to con struct the vehicle so as to be readily visible also fromthe side, the outer lateral surfaces of the longitudinal bearers 2 and 3are equipped additionally with further lights 9.

Therebeyond, the roof constructed with the two longitudinal bearers 2and 3 can be utilized directly as loading surface by reason of its highstability and strength. In the event, as illustrated in the embodimentaccording to FIGS. 1 and 2, the longitudinal bearers 2 and 3 projectabove the roof surface, they may also serve additionally as lateralboundaries for the luggage pieces to be placed thereon. Securingbrackets (FIG. 2) for the mounting or securing of the parts retainingthe luggage pieces may thereby be additionally provided. Additionally,the roof reinforcement by means of two longitudinal bearers 2 and 3further contributes to the increase of the interior safety because avery rigid roof 1 is achieved thereby which contributes to protect thepassenger space as much as possible against deformations in case ofaccidents.

In order to protect the lights 5 and 8 against dirt deposits, the endfaces of the longitudinal bearers 2 and 3 may be appropriately soarranged within the area of the windshield 4 that the inclinationthereof corresponds to the inclination of the windshield 4. As a resultthereof, particularly favorable flow conditions are created. Within thearea of the rear window, in contradistinction thereto, it is favorablefor the same purpose if theend faces of the longitudinal bearers 2 and 3accommodating the rear lights 8 extend approximately vertically.

In the embodiments as illustrates in FIGS. 3 and 3a, in which thelongitudinal bearers 2 and 3 project above the roof surface, the lights5a and 8a are circumcirculated on three sides thereof. A dual headlightmay thereby serve corresponding to FIG. 3, for example, as front light5a whereas corresponding to FIG. 3a a multi-chamber light may be used asrear light 8a which is inserted into the rear end face of thelongitudinal bearers 2 and 3.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, embodiments are illustrated in which longitudinalbearers l1 and 12 are provided; however, the heretofore customary shapesof vehicle roofs are not changed. As shown in FIG. 4, the roof may becurved convexly or, as illustrated in dash line, can be curved slightlyconcavely. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the roof may also be constructedflat. FIG. 5 illustrates additionally that the longitudinal bearers mayalso be utilized in an advantageous manner for the ventilation of thevehicle interior space in that they are equipped with inclined lateralboundary surfaces 13 and 14 which are provided in the downwardlydirected surfaces with corresponding ventilating apertures 15 for thein-flow and out-flow of air.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, also a double-shell or double-wall roofconstruction may be provided in which the inner roof panel 16 no longerextends parallel to the outer roof panels 17 and 18. The inner roofpanel 16, which is constructed flat in the illustrated embodiment, isconnected with the upper roof panels 17 and 18 by means of the twolongitudinal bearers l9 and 20; corresponding to FIG. 7 the roof panel18 may again be constructed convex or, corresponding to FIG. 5, it mayhave a concave curvature 17 between the longitudinal bearers l9 and 20.This concave curvature is particularly advantageous as regards strengthand loadability of the roof. Additionally, securing brackets 21 may bemounted at the longitudinal bearers l9 and 20, at which the retainingmeans for the luggage pieces can be secured, by means of which the roofcan be directly loaded.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 8, the illustrated longitudinalbearer 22 projects laterally beyond the vehicle so that its bottom sideprojecting beyond the vehicle can be utilized for the purpose ofventilation of the vehicle passenger space. The outer sheet metal panel23 may be arranged thereby either in such a manner that a step-shapedoffset is created (FIG. 8) or, corresponding to FIG. 9, it can bearranged in the same surface as the top side of the longitudinal bearer24.

While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications asknown to a person skilled in the art, and we therefore do not wish to belimited to the details shown and described herein but intend to coverall such changes and modifications as are within the scope of thoseskilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A structural arrangement for accommodating light means on motorvehicles of the type having roof means over a passenger compartment ofthe vehicle; said arrangement comprising:

two longitudinally extending longitudinal bearer means for structurallyreinforcing said roof means, said bearer means being located adjacentopposite lateral edges of the roof means and extending longitudina llysubstantially along the length of the roof means,

each of said bearer means having a rearwardly facing surface at a rearend portion thereof and a forwardly facing surface at a forward endportion thereof, and

hollow section portions formed immediately adjacent the respectivefacing surfaces in at least one of the rear and forward end portions ofthe bearer means for accommodating light means.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein hollow section portionsfor accommodating light means are formed in both the rear and forwardend portions of the bearer means.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said bearer meansextends parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction alongrespective right and left lateral edges of the roof means.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising an inclinedvehicle windshield connected to a front edge portion of said roof meansand in that the forwardly facing surfaces of said bearer means have aninclination corresponding to the inclination of the windshield.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising a rearvehicle window connected to a rear edge portion of said roof means, andwherein the rearwardly facing surfaces of said bearer means extendapproximately vertically.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that saidbearer means include securing brackets for securing luggage to the roofmeans of the vehicle.

7. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said roof means includestwo roof shells, and wherein the longitudinal bearer means are disposedinside of one of said roof shells.

8. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said roof means includesan upper roof surface portion, and wherein the longitudinal bearer meansproject above said upper roof surface portion.

9. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein each of saidlongitudinal bearer means include laterally outwardly facing surfacesextending along outer lateral edge portions of said longitudinal bearermeans, and further comprising further hollow section portions formedimmediately adjacent said laterally facing surfaces in said lateral edgeportions for accommodating further light means.

10. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal bearermeans includes laterally projecting portions which project laterallybeyond the lateral edges of the roof means, and wherein ventilatingaperture means are provided in the laterally projecting portions.

11. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein each of saidlongitudinal bearer means are of hollow construction and include alaterally outwardly facing side section formed by a planar upwardly andoutwardly extending first wall member and a planar upwardly and inwardlyextending second wall member, wherein said first and second wall membersare connected to one another along the top edge portion of said firstwall member and a bottom edge portion of said second wall member, andwherein ventilating aperture means are provided in said first wallmember for introducing ventilating air into said longitudinal bearermeans.

12. An arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said laterallyprojecting portions include bottom surface portions, and wherein saidventilating aperture means extend through said bottom surface portions.

13. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the roof means includesouter surface portions which form an offset corresponding in shape tothe outer configuration of the bearer means.

14. An arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising an inclinedvehicle windshield connected to a front edge portion of said roof means,and wherein the forwardly facing surfaces of the bearer means arelocated within the area of the plane of the vehicle windshield and havean inclination substantially corresponding to that of the windshield.

15. An arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a vehiclerear window connected to a rear edge portion of said roof means, andwherein the rear wardly facing surfaces of the bearer means are disposedwithin the area of the plane of the vehicle rear window and extendapproximately vertically.

16. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said roof meansincludes two roof shells, and wherein the longitudinal bearer means aredisposed inside of one of said roof shells.

17. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said roof meansincludes an upper roof surface portion, and wherein the longitudinalbearer means project above said upper roof surface portion.

18. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of saidlongitudinal bearer means include laterally outwardly facing surfacesextending along outer lateral edge portions of said longitudinal bearermeans, and

further compr isin further hollow section portions formed immediate y adacent said laterally facing surfaces in said lateral edge portions foraccommodating further light means.

19. An arrangement according to claim 18, further comprising a vehiclerear window connected to a rear edge portion of said roof means, andwherein the rearwardly facing surfaces of the bearer means are disposedwithin the area of the plane of the vehicle rear window and extendapproximately vertically.

20. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal bearermeans includes laterally projecting portions which project laterallybeyond the lateral edges of the roof means, and wherein ventilatingaperture means are provided in the laterally projecting portions.

21. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of saidlongitudinal bearer means are of hollow construction and include alaterally outwardly facing side section formed by a planar upwardly andoutwardly extending first wall member and a planar upwardly and inwardlyextending second wall member, wherein said first and second wall membersare connected to one another along the top edge portion of said firstwall member and a bottom edge portion of said second wall member, andwherein ventilating aperture means are provided in said first wallmember for introducing ventilating air into said longitudinal bearermeans.

22. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said laterallyprojecting portions include bottom surface portions, and wherein saidventilating aperture means extend through said bottom surface portions.

23. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the roof means includesouter surface portions which form an offset corresponding in shape tothe outer configuration of the bearer means.

24. An arrangement according to claim 18, further comprising an inclinedvehicle windshield connected to a front edge portion of said roof means,and wherein the forwardly facing surfaces of the bearer means arelocated within the area of the plane of the vehicle windshield and havean inclination substantially corresponding to that of the windshield.

1. A structural arrangement for accommodating light means on motorvehicles of the type having roof means over a passenger compartment ofthe vehicle; said arrangement comprising: two longitudinally extendinglongitudinal bearer means for structurally reinforcing said roof means,said bearer means being located adjacent opposite lateral edges of theroof means and extending longitudinally substantially along the lengthof the roof means, each of said bearer means having a rearwardly facingsurface at a rear end portion thereof and a forwardly facing surface ata forward end portion thereof, and hollow section portions formedimmediately adjacent the respective facing surfaces in at least one ofthe rear and forward end portions of the bearer means for accommodatinglight means.
 2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein hollowsection portions for accommodating light means are formed in both therear and forward end portions of the bearer means.
 3. An arrangementaccording to claim 2, wherein said bearer means extends parallel to oneanother in the longitudinal direction along respective right and leftlateral edges of the roof means.
 4. An arrangement according to claim 2,further comprising an inclined vehicle windshield connected to a frontedge portion of said roof means and in that the forwardly facingsurfaces of said bearer means have an inclination corresponding to theinclination of the windshield.
 5. An arrangement according to claim 4,further comprising a rear vehicle window connected to a rear edgeportion of said roof means, and wherein the rearwardly facing surfacesof said bearer means extend approximately vertically.
 6. An arrangementaccording to claim 5, characterized in that said bearer means includesecuring brackets for securing luggage to the roof means of the vehicle.7. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said roof means includestwo roof shells, and wherein the longitudinal bearer means are disposedinside of one of said roof shells.
 8. An arrangement according to claim5, wherein said roof means includes an upper roof surface portion, andwherein the longitudinal bearer means project above said upper roofsurface portion.
 9. An arrangement according to claim 5, wherein each ofsaid longitudinal bearer means include laterally outwardly facingsurfaces extending along outer lateral edge portions of saidlongitudinal bearer means, and further comprising further hollow sectionportions formed immediately adjacent said laterally facing surfaces insaid lateral edge portions for accommodating further light means.
 10. Anarrangement according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal bearer meansincludes laterally projecting portions which project laterally beyondthe lateral edges of the roof means, and wherein ventilating aperturemeans are provided in the laterally projecting portions.
 11. Anarrangement according to claim 5, wherein each of said longitudinalbearer means are of hollow construction and include a laterallyoutwardly facing side section formed by a planar upwardly and outwardlyextending first wall member and a planar upwardly and inwardly extendingsecond wall member, wherein said first and second wall members areconnected to one another along the top edge portion of said first wallmember and a bottom edge portion of said second wall member, and whereinventilating aperture means are provided in said first wall member forintroducing ventilating air into said longitudinal bearer means.
 12. Anarrangement according to claim 10, wherein said laterally projectingportions include bottom surface portions, and wherein said ventilatingaperture means extend through said bottom surFace portions.
 13. Anarrangement according to claim 5, wherein the roof means includes outersurface portions which form an offset corresponding in shape to theouter configuration of the bearer means.
 14. An arrangement according toclaim 1, further comprising an inclined vehicle windshield connected toa front edge portion of said roof means, and wherein the forwardlyfacing surfaces of the bearer means are located within the area of theplane of the vehicle windshield and have an inclination substantiallycorresponding to that of the windshield.
 15. An arrangement according toclaim 1, further comprising a vehicle rear window connected to a rearedge portion of said roof means, and wherein the rearwardly facingsurfaces of the bearer means are disposed within the area of the planeof the vehicle rear window and extend approximately vertically.
 16. Anarrangement according to claim 1, wherein said roof means includes tworoof shells, and wherein the longitudinal bearer means are disposedinside of one of said roof shells.
 17. An arrangement according to claim1, wherein said roof means includes an upper roof surface portion, andwherein the longitudinal bearer means project above said upper roofsurface portion.
 18. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein eachof said longitudinal bearer means include laterally outwardly facingsurfaces extending along outer lateral edge portions of saidlongitudinal bearer means, and further comprising further hollow sectionportions formed immediately adjacent said laterally facing surfaces insaid lateral edge portions for accommodating further light means.
 19. Anarrangement according to claim 18, further comprising a vehicle rearwindow connected to a rear edge portion of said roof means, and whereinthe rearwardly facing surfaces of the bearer means are disposed withinthe area of the plane of the vehicle rear window and extendapproximately vertically.
 20. An arrangement according to claim 5,wherein the longitudinal bearer means includes laterally projectingportions which project laterally beyond the lateral edges of the roofmeans, and wherein ventilating aperture means are provided in thelaterally projecting portions.
 21. An arrangement according to claim 1,wherein each of said longitudinal bearer means are of hollowconstruction and include a laterally outwardly facing side sectionformed by a planar upwardly and outwardly extending first wall memberand a planar upwardly and inwardly extending second wall member, whereinsaid first and second wall members are connected to one another alongthe top edge portion of said first wall member and a bottom edge portionof said second wall member, and wherein ventilating aperture means areprovided in said first wall member for introducing ventilating air intosaid longitudinal bearer means.
 22. An arrangement according to claim 1,wherein said laterally projecting portions include bottom surfaceportions, and wherein said ventilating aperture means extend throughsaid bottom surface portions.
 23. An arrangement according to claim 1,wherein the roof means includes outer surface portions which form anoffset corresponding in shape to the outer configuration of the bearermeans.
 24. An arrangement according to claim 18, further comprising aninclined vehicle windshield connected to a front edge portion of saidroof means, and wherein the forwardly facing surfaces of the bearermeans are located within the area of the plane of the vehicle windshieldand have an inclination substantially corresponding to that of thewindshield.